laundry detergent companies

What Laundry Detergent Companies Aren't Telling You

Laundry detergent companies are notorious for using certain active ingredients, wasting resources, & keeping plenty of secrets from the public.

Written by Tenley Haraldson. Reviewed by Sean Busch.


With annual international sales of more than $100 billion, it's no secret that detergent companies control the market. But the major laundry detergent manufacturers tend to do so with misleading advertising, watered down formulas, and unnecessary plastic usage.

But Puracy products are different. We know that consumers and the environment benefit from highly-concentrated formulas and eco-friendly packaging. In other words, we don't keep "laundry secrets" from our customers.

Why Are Laundry Detergent Bottles So Big?

detergent companies

The next time you walk down a detergent aisle, check out the laundry bottles. You'll notice that oversized, rectangular shapes maximize real estate – and bright colors draw your focus. Packaging is optimized to take up the largest amount of shelf space possible.

But when you reach your laundry detergent's active ingredients, we're pretty sure that “water” lands at the top of that list.

Check Laundry Detergent Active Ingredients

laundry detergent active ingredients

Puracy biochemists analyzed the top liquid laundry detergents and found that most conventional, non-concentrated products contained fewer than 10% active ingredients. The rest is mostly water!

Our 99.4% natural formula is one of the only liquid detergents that doesn’t list “water” as its first ingredient. Puracy Natural Laundry Detergent doesn't just contain 85% active ingredients: Its 10X concentrated formula is the highest concentration sold in the United States!

Why Are There So Many Watered Down Formulas?

watered down formula

By adding water, competitors are able to increase the size of their packaging. This gives bottles a greater presence on store shelves and makes the average consumer think that they're getting “more for their money.” This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Each 16-ounce bottle of our Natural Laundry Detergent cleans 64 loads of laundry. Most large competitor bottles can clean 64 loads, but based on their dilution, they'd need to be 100-ounce bottles.

Many Detergent Companies Encourage Waste

laundry detergent manufacturers

Those huge containers don't just waste water: They also use incredible amounts of plastic and energy. And carbon footprints increase dramatically when large jugs of (mostly) water are shipped across the country. 

Extra Detergent Won't Get Your Clothes Cleaner

chemicals in laundry detergent

Check your enormous laundry detergent cap: That "fill" line is about ⅓ from the bottom (and probably pretty hard-to-read).

It's not a coincidence that detergent companies instruct customers to use more product than necessary - it's a great way to increase purchases. But using too much detergent tends to leave residue behind. This can be exceptionally uncomfortable for people with sensitive skin.

That Brings Us to Detergent Pods...

ingredients in detergent

Boasting a 90%+ active ingredient makeup, concentrated detergent pods work extremely well and limit packaging waste. Initially, a single detergent pod was recommended for laundry loads, but detergent manufacturers have started encouraging customers to use two (or even three). Intense concentrations in conventional detergent pods mean that chemical residue doesn’t always fully wash out. 

Many Detergent Companies Use Questionable Ingredients

Long-term exposure to certain detergent chemicals (like optical brighteners) can cause allergic reactions, especially skin and eye irritation. Worse yet, the FDA has deemed 1,4 dioxane as a “potential carcinogen”, even though many major laundry detergent brands still use it!

Since surfactants and perfumes are typically considered “trade secrets”, consumers don’t always know what they’re being exposed to.

Puracy Is Actively Taking Steps to Conserve Resources

natural detergent companies

Each 16oz container of Puracy Laundry Detergent washes 64 full loads of laundry – and the pump measures an exact dose so you'll never waste product. While many detergent manufacturers use HDPE (a more rigid type of plastic that takes longer to break down in landfills), Puracy uses clear PETE.

Our laundry detergent pouch refill reduces plastic, water, and energy use by 90% – it it also encourages you to reuse your bottle and pump. Within a few years, customers have saved more than 200 tons of plastic waste from entering the environment.

Our Laundry Detergent Ingredients Are Transparent and High-Quality

detergent manufacturers

Our biochemists ensure that Puracy’s ingredients are safe for everyone. They’re biodegradable, cruelty-free, and our “free and clear” formula is gentle on the most sensitive skin. No dyes, no phosphates, no optical brighteners, no fragrances: just hard-working plant-based enzymes and a 99.4% natural product.

We're a Detergent Company That Believes in Superior Product Performance

all laundry detergent ingredients

Just like all of our products, our Laundry Detergent comes with a 100% money-back guarantee. If you're not totally blown away by this natural laundry soap, we'll refund your purchase.

And when you pair it with our Natural Stain Remover, you'll erase all traces of stains and odors. Guaranteed.